The New California Wine: A Guide to the Producers and Wines Behind a Revolution in Taste

by Jon Bonne

A comprehensive guide to the must-know wines and producers of California's "new generation," and the story of the iconoclastic young winemakers who have changed the face of California viniculture in recent years.  

The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic, reactionary practices of its recent past. Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers.

In this groundbreaking debut, Bonné paints an unflinching portrait of the current state of the its strengths and shortcomings, its essential wines and those not worth pursuing. Lush full-color photographs, as well as a region-by-region tour of some of California’s lesser-known growing areas, reveal the people and places behind the bottles. Finally, a comprehensive purchasing reference lists all the must-know producers and their best wines, making The New California Wine an essential resource for finding and buying the very best the state has to offer.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Reference, Beverages

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of good information in here, so it is worth the read.

However, I did find it very hard to get past the author's heavy handed biases. He clearly has deeply entrenched opinions about how wine should be and how the industry should act and it doesn't seem that anything could ever change his mind (evidenced by him admitting to having the same opinions now as he did decades ago when he began his first job evaluating California wines).

He falls victim to a very common sin among critics...basing your opinion about what is good by constantly pointing out what is bad; and what is bad according to him is any commonly held belief or conventional wisdoms. Being aggressively contrarian doesn't make you smarter, it just makes you negative.

I personally would rather hear him tell us what he finds good and valuable instead of digging on the trends he doesn't enjoy. I get it, he doesn't like robust, ripe, high alcohol wines...but calling them "Jam Piles" kind of insults the tastes of people that like those wines (not to mention the winemakers themselves, most of who are not elite labels or corporate trend setters).

[Jenny GB · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The New California Wine, Bonne gives a detailed look at Calfornia wine. The first third of the book discusses the history of making wine in California. It provides a very detailed look at what the current major trends and challenges are in the area. The middle of the book is a quick road trip visiting all of the major wine growing regions to discuss their successes and special challenges. Finally, almost the whole second half of the book is dedicated to detailing the history and current status of various wine varieties. This section also goes into particular labels and wines that Bonne recommends as vital to that wine type as well as other influential wines in those varieties.

I did not expect to be so fascinated by this book. The book is beautifully structured with many photos and frequent section breaks to break up the reading. Although the text is focused on facts, I found it easy reading and I learned a lot about California and wine. I am not knowledgeable about California wines so this made for an interesting read. My main disappointment was to find that a lot of the wines mentioned are out of the price range I would like to pay and some that are in my price range aren't readily available in my state. I suppose I will have to order from the vineyards themselves or satisfy myself with the handful I was able to pull out of the pages that I can find and try. Overall, though, the book is beautifully presented and the information is engaging. I expect wine enthusiasts will find this a fascinating read!

I received a free copy of this book through the Read It Forward giveaway from the Crown Publishing Group. Thank you!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eminently readable, and a fresh take on the fresh take on Cslifornian wine by producers old and new. My new exploration guide for the region.

[Matt Lennert · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid and learned wine geek I had pretty much given up on California wines. So much the same, so much oak, so uninspired until the $150 threshold. This book re-inspired my interest in exploring the new younger wine makers who are going back to old work ways of making wine. It also features all of the many more obscure regions in state instead of the the monster Napa. It is really well written and will have you hunting these wines down.

[Isaac Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given that what is portrayed as "new" isn't really new but an increased focus on traditional winemaking methods, mixed with a dose of good ol' California experimentation - this book is a fascinating read that is researched and written well. If you know Bonne, you know what you're getting into. The producers he highlights feature many of my favorite California wine producers, but he also mentions some I wasn't aware of. No matter how deeply you're into California wine, you'll learn something in this book. My second time through it. Great book.

[Derrick Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to paint California wine with a broad, sweeping brush. But such a glib characterization is overly simplified. This book delves into the history behind those simple statements, but also sketches out the complexity of the real wine makers and grape growers. It also looks at people who have either always done things different or are beginning to, and suggests a hopeful future for interesting, compelling wines from the state.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bonne gives a good overview of the cutting edge of California wine. I appreciated that the area-by-area sections included unlikely suspects like Lodi. Bonne definitely has an agenda (specifically preferring low alcohol, less fruity wines), but if that agenda aligns with yours you'll definitely find lots of good nuggets here.

[Tripp Borstel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and wonderfully written book that has become my guide for finding delightful and surprising wines. The payoff of this book is getting to know the stories of CA's most exciting winemakers and taking your palate along for the ride. If you have to build up your wine cellar you can't do much better than using Bonne's book as your guide.

[John Hieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subjective? Of course. That said, Bonne does a great service to California wine making. The book is slanted toward Pinot Noir, but it covers a lot of truly great wines.